Human carrier



1 Sept. 17, 1946.

HUMAN CARRIER Filed Oct. '15, 1943 w. ,J. MALONEY 2,407,714

Patented Sept. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUMAN CARRIERWilliam J. Maloney, Ansonia, Conn. Application October 15, 1943, SerialNo. 506,353

v 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a carrier and first aid device forassisting-in transporting or carrying an injured or .ill person, and hasfor an object to provide such a device which will be of very simpleconstruction and may be easily applied and used in carrying an injuredor ill person or assisting such person.

It is also an object tor-provide such a device which may be used notonly as a carrier, but may be used as .a tourniquet in. first aid andmay be employed to provide a first aid kit.v

A further object is to provide a construction which may be easilycarried by persons apt to require use of such a device, such for exampleas hunters, life-guards, soldiers, Boy Scouts and so forth.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, I' have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification. the invention is not limited to the specific detailsof construction and arrangement shown but may embody various changes andmodifications within the scope of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figs. 1 to 4 illustrate one method on which the device may be used tolift a person from a prone position and get him to a carrying position;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the device;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof:

Fig. '7 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale substantially online '!'I of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail section substantial-ly on line 8-43 of-Fig. 5.

The preferred form of the device comprises a flexible strap having itsside members I0 and H secured together adjacent their free ends asindicated at 12 to form a closed loop l3. The two side members maybesecured together in (interout ways, as for example by riveting,stitching and so forth. It is preferred to cross them as indicated inFig. 6 and secure the cross portion by a rivet i2 which permits acertain amount of relative turning "between the crossed members,permitting .it to conform to the shape of the body of the person doingthe carrying, as will be more fully described later, Beyond thisconnection there is provided one or more hand grips Hi. 'It is preferredthese grips be formed by extending the side members and folding themupon themselves to form loops as indicated and securing the free ends ofthese loops either by the securing means I 2 or separate securing meanssuch as rivets, stitching, cement and so forth.

Extending transversely across the loop inter- It is, however, to beunderstood.

mediate the two opposite ends thereof is a second strap 15. This ispreferably in the form of a double strap looped about the side'membersl9 and H as indicated in Figs. 5 and 7, and although it could be securedin one position on the side members it is preferably mounted so as to beshiftable along these members to difierent positions. Adjacent one ofthe members the ;opposite sides of the strap may be secured together asindicated at It by stitching or riveting adjacent one of the sidemembers, as the member 11.,

to retain this strap on the main loop and prevent its falling ofi" incarrying, applying it to a person and so forth. This transverse strap isprovided with some means for adjusting the length, such for example asa' buckle I7, and the free end is preferably provided with a grip I8whereby it may be easily grasped and held to adjust the length of thetransverse strap. A convenient method of forming this grip is to fold orroll over the free end of the strap and cement the overlapped partstogether.

The straps may be made of any suitable material such for example ascanvas, webbing, fiber glass or fiber glass mixed with cotton, andsimilar material, and preferably about two or three inches in width.

At the closed end of the loop opposite the connection l2 there may besecured a compress pad 24 at 'one side of the strap. This may be securedsufiiciently so as to be used as a pressure pad in using the strap as atourniquet to stop serious bleeding or it could be stripped ed andapplied as a separate compress or pad to a wound, or in use as apressure pad with a tourniquet. There can also be applied to the strap aholder for-first aid articles such for example as a pocket IQ ofsuitable material for carrying a few articles such as compresses,bandages, a bottle .of iodine and the like, and this may have one endopen and closed by a flapifl secured by a suitable snap fastener 2|.

One method of use of the device is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 to assistin carrying an injured or ill person. The closed end of the loop I3 carrying the pad 24 may be passed under the head and shoulders of the proneperson 22 to a position across the back or shoulders and unde thearmpits as indicated, and the other end of the loop passed over theshoulders of the operator 23 and around the back of his neck or upperpart of the back. Then by straightening up and guiding the prone personwith his hands he can lift him to an upright position and facing him, asshown in Fig. 2. The operator then moves 3 the transverse strap l5toward the person 22 and by grasping the grip I8 can tighten it up todraw the sides Ill and II toward each other and around the body of theperson 22 so that there is no danger of his slipping out of the loop.

Then the operator 23 may quickly turn around facing the oppositedirection as shown in Fig. 3, with no danger of the injured personslipping out of the loop, and the operator grips either one or both ofthe hand grips M and can then draw them forwardly and downwardly,sliding the side straps Ill and II over his shoulders, to draw theperson 22 toward him and to a position immediately at his back, and thenby leaning forward,

as indicated in Fig. 4, the person 22 isdrawn onto his back and liftedoh the ground so that' toward the person being carried to retain him inhe may be easily carried and will be effectively held in this positionby this carrying device. The connecting pivot [2 permits the sideportions of the strap to have relative turning movement so that as thegrips are moved forwardly and downwardly the side-portions conform moreto the size and shape of the body. After the carried person has beentaken to the desired location he maybe readily returned to the proneposition merely by reversing the operations above described. It is notnecessary that the device be used at the shoulders, as it could be usedat other parts of the body orplaced under the buttocks so that theperson may be carried, in a generally seated position. v 7

It may also be used for other first aid operations.- For example, incase of serious bleeding it may be employed as a tourniquet using thecompress 24 as a pressure pad over the artery and drawing the straparound the limb, and tightening by twisting with a suitable stickinserted between the sides It! and H in the proper manner, or thecompress 24 could be stripped from the strap and be used as a compresson a 'wound'and held by a, suitable bandage, or be used as a pressurepad with a bandage as a tourniquet. a

The article maybe readily carried so as to be always available. Asforexample it could be carried on a hunters coat lapel, or a lifeguardsbathing suit, or by soldiers and sailors'and first adders-generally, oron Boy Scout belts or coat la'p'els.- I I .lIt will be seen this makesit perfectly feasible fora single person to raise and carry anotherperson andin comparative comfort. Also it will be seen that it is ofvery simple construction but is strong and will not require a great dealof space in carrying it on the person so as to have it available whenneeded.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I'claim is:

1. A carrier of the character described comprisinga flexible strapforming a loop of sufiicient length to be passed across the shoulders ofa person to be carried and side members passing under the arms of saidperson and secured together at the front to form another portion to passover the shoulders of a second person, hand grips formed forwardly ofthe point the side members are secured together in position to begripped by the second person when the loop is in the carrying positionover his shoulders, and an adjustable strap looped over the side membersand'shiftable along these members toward the person to be carried toretain him in the loop and inthe opposite direction to permit hisremoval.

the loop, and hand grips at the free ends of the side members inposition to be gripped by the carrying person when the loop i in thecarrying position over his shoulders.

3. A carrier of the character described comprising a flexible strapforming a loop with the side members secured together adjacent theirfree ends, said loop being of sufiicient length to pass about theshoulders of a man to be carried and a man carrying him, a transversestrap connecting the side members and extending transversely across theloop, said transverse strap being adjustable along the side memberstoward the person being carried to retain him in the loop, means foradjusting the length of the transverse strap, and hand grip means at thefree ends of the side members in position to be located at the front ofthe carrying person when the loop is in the carrying position. 7 4. Acarrier of the character described comprising a flexible strap securedtogether adjacent its opposite free ends to form a loop of sufficient;

length to pass about the shoulders of a man to be carried and a mancarrying him, the free ends of the strap being folded back uponthemselves to form hand grips located in front of the carrying man whenthe loop is about his shoulders in the carrying position, and atransverse strap looped about the side members intermediate the ends ofsaid loop and shiftable along said side members toward the man beingcarried to retain him in the loop, and means for adjusting the 1 lengthof said transverse strap to draw the side members toward each other.

5. A carrier of the character described comprising a flexible straphaving it opposite end portions crossed and secured together forming aloop of sufficient length to pass about the shoulders of a man tov becarried and a man carrying him,

hand grips atthe ends of the strap outwardly of 7 said connection so asto be positioned in front of the carrying man when'the loop is incarrying position, a transverse strap looped about the sides of the loopand shiftalble along saidjsides, and means for adjusting the length ofthe-transverse strap to draw the sides of the loop toward each other toretain a man in the loop.

6. A carrier of the character described comprising a flexible straphaving its opposite end portions crossed and secured together by a rivetpermitting relative turning of the side members and forming a loop ofsufficient length to pass about the shoulders of a man to be carried anda man carrying him, hand grips at the ends of the strap outwardly ofsaid riveted connection, a transverse strap looped about the sides ofthe loop and shiftable along said sides, and means for adjusting thelength of the transverse strap to draw the sides of the loop toward eachother.

WILLIAM J MALONEY.

